There aren’t too many young men who get endowed in with the bonds of marriage while still receiving an education. To a slightly obese and excessively paranoid Marshall, the paranormal concept of love was irreplaceable, its presence always accepted. His walks to class were comforted by the anticipation of Allison Nexus’s generous kisses. No longer could any professor withhold Marshall’s attention from straying to his soon to be wife. Projected notes were clouded in his mind by Ally’s short, curly dark hair, and the image of her walking away, back to their apartment. Lecture halls buzzed with chatter throughout the day regardless of size, spring break had almost fully begun.
Marshall shared his last class with his right hand man, Kyle; a companion he found shortly after his first year of high school. Despite being slightly older, it was clear that Kyle was innately struck with misfortune. Diagnosed with autism, Kyle still had the will of any other man, attending college enough evidence in itself. Enthusiastic and caring, Kyle had always been the perfect vice for Marsh, and Marsh an unrelenting guide for Kyle. Reminiscing about recent teenage years quickly became a daily routine, and slowly a task.
As he sat down towards the back of the room, Marsh was greeted with familiar excitement. Kyle had recently been upset by the idea of Marsh being married, but the upcoming weekend must have boosted his moral. The fact that Marsh’s birthday was in less than twenty-four hours also could have been a factor. Again Marshall sat through an entire class inadvertently staring out the window, his ear being chewed off by an overly confident best man.
So far, there had been no regrets. Ally even hinted that Kyle was trying to conjure some sort of birthday surprise for me, making sure I had no plans for Saturday. The forecast for Marshall’s birthday was grim, but sunny morning skies gave way to Kyle’s foreseen hiking trip. Marsh was stunned that Kyle had prepared such an event, and remembered how often the two had used the woods as a pastime. Although, the trip was not much of a surprise, as Ally picked him up an hour before hand to go out in preparation.
After receiving Kyle’s foreseen call in which he claimed something to be wrong, Marshall soon pulled into the gravel parking lot at the base of Penn Ridge trails. He immediately noticed a sign marked with his name, hanging off of a large tree, and laughed satirically as he walked passed Alley’s car. After about ten minutes of an upbeat jog, Marsh could see Kyle standing in the middle of his trail. Khaki shorts that hung too low below Kyle’s waist always marked his person. Marsh opened his arms to cast an appreciative hug that Kyle graciously accepted. Sitting down to rest next to a full sheet cake seen earlier his freezer, Marshall unlaced the tops of his boots.
Finally cooling off a bit Marsh’s stomach grumbled awkwardly; thinking of food, he asked Kyle where Allison was. Only when Marshall heard that Ally was off getting candles did he notice her shoes, unorganized upon autumn’s red floor. Slowly reading Marshall’s confused face Kyle stammered: “We we-were meant to be together ma-Marsh!” Marshall winced as he caught a bright reflection atop some nearby brush - a diamond ring. The sun cast solely on Kyle, revealing several locks of Dark and curly hair contrasted upon his yellow T-shirt.
